Vaping documentaries you should check out

Posted on 23.11.2017 |

These days you can find a documentary about practically anything. Just last week Netflix was trying to talk me into watching a doco about Adolf Hitler’s armoured train. Yes, a train. It had armour. Apparently this warranted much discussion.

Maybe I’m just one of the few people in the world who don’t find trains all that interesting.

Speaking of interesting, I’ve found some vaping documentaries you actually WILL want to watch. The more popular vaping becomes, the more the media are looking to the products and the culture to find a new story. Filmmakers – many of whom enjoy vaping – are here to chronicle and understand that culture, as well as demystify the wild claims made on both sides about vapings health effects.

Here are my favourite vaping documentaries:

A Billion Lives (2016)

This documentary focuses around the theme that a billion people will die smoking-related deaths this century. That’s such a huge, unfathomable number that it’s very visually powerful, and A Billion Lives tries to pack the punches in a similar way.

At the beginning, this film looks at Big Tobacco and all the harmful effects of cigarettes. Then it focuses on the differences between smoking and vaping, how vaping came to be, and the market shift toward e-cigarettes. At the end, the film discusses how Big Tobacco are trying to keep up with the vape market.

Nominated for a Silver REMI at Worldfest Houston, and for “Best International Feature” at the DocEdge Film Festival, Aaron Biebert’s film is slick and informative.

Beyond the Cloud (2016)

This is a French documentary made by Ghyslain Armand and Sébastien DUIJNDAM. Armand narrates the film, which involves interviews with tobacco executives, politicians, health advocates and other parties about vaping and many of the issues and divides around it.

What I like about this documentary is that the directors have gone to great lengths to interview legitimate sources, to present vaping and vapers in a positive light, but at the same time highlighting the issues impacting the industry. It has a huge stop smoking message, which we can definitely get behind!

Vape Life (2014-2015)

Vape Life is a short documentary giving an overview of vaping and vape culture. It doesn’t go in-depth, but it presents an excellent overview if you’re a beginner. The documentary is split into two episodes – the first one looks at smoking, and the second dives into the invention of e-cigs and vaporizers.

Directed by Joey Kayo, Vape Life is a great overview if you’re pressed for time.

Have you seen any vaping documentaries you’d like to recommend? (And no, Vape Nation doesn’t count).